Lady in Powder Blue
by Stephen Ratliff
Summary: Minister Fudge is about to take the last step to kick Albus Dumbledore out of the Wizengamot. He didn't count on the Lady in powder blue.


_**Author's Note**__: The following story is intended as a one shot, inspired by the question, what would have happened if Dumbledore had gone above Fudge's head once he'd been kicked out of the Chief Warlock position. _

**Lady in Powder Blue**

Minister Cornelius Fudge was almost giggling with glee when he got into the elevator that went directly from his office to the Wizengamot Antechamber, just a couple minutes behind schedule. He didn't expect that he was going to be sharing it with an old lady dressed in a powder blue dress and hat with a small handbag hanging from her arm. He was aware that the elevator came down from higher up, though he'd never seen it open before with someone already in it.

The lady's expression was a thin line of disapproval, but it did not affect Minister Fudge's mood. Yesterday he'd kicked Albus Dumbledore out of the post as Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot, and today he intended to kick him all the way out. Then Fudge would have control without the meddling old man who believed that Lord Thingy was back. The elevator descended to the Wizengamot Antechamber in silence, the minister standing next to the old lady. Her expression remained one of disapproval.

The lift opened, revealing the Antechamber, and Fudge strode out, passing the guard at the door to the chamber without comment. Behind him, he heard the old lady order, "Announce us. We will not be delayed." He wondered why the old lady wanted to be announced with him.

The old lady did not follow. In fact, Fudge actually managed to get to his seat before the trumpets rang out, followed by the guard's announcement. "All rise for her Majesty, Elizabeth the Second, by grace of God, of Great Britain, Ireland, and the Dominions Beyond the Seas Queen, Defender of Faith, Lord of all that is Magical!"

With the announcement, a cold chill ran through Fudge's body. The Queen never came to the Wizengamot, almost, but her powers remained. He didn't think she was a witch, but that didn't matter. He'd heard that her powers were less in the muggle world, but here, her powers reigned supreme.

As the Queen reached the floor of the Wizengamot, every witch and wizard standing at attention, she reached into her small purse and pulled out her scepter. She pointed it at the dais, and suddenly everything was re-arranged, and not gently. The Chief Warlock seat was suddenly thrown, Chief Warlock and all, across the chamber to the other side, where it became no more than a simple desk like any other member's. Fudge's own position slid aside a bit more gently, but the papers he'd brought to remove Dumbledore from the body did not move with them. The long hidden royal thrones rose, changing from black rock to red velvet and gold.

The Queen's own outfit changed, the powder blue dress turning into embroidered silver, with a deep purple cape with an ermine edging. Her powder blue hat, suddenly changed to the Imperial State Crown, as she headed to her throne. As she took her seat, the whole chamber took on a new luster, as the magical connection between monarch and her Wizengamot was renewed. Every door was sealed, save that of the Antechamber.

"Be seated." The words were clear and commanding, almost infused with magical force. No one dared to say a word, as chairs slid back and members took their seats.

"Last night We received word of some recent events among our people," the Queen began. "We barely could believe what we were hearing. Albus Dumbledore, our Chief Warlock, removed because he believed that Voldemort was back."

Fudge trembled at the use of the name by the Queen. The cold air seemed to be cooling even more.

"It appears that Our Minister of Magic is a coward who does not wish to believe that which was placed before him. It took us no more than an hour to watch the pensive memory of Voldemort's rebirth, as seen by Sir Harry Potter, a wizard to which our people have much to be grateful to. It took us much less to identify the traitors who sit in this very chamber. The traitors who pervert the laws and order of our kingdom. No more.

"No more will coin and lies pervert justice in this chamber. No more will those who stand, who bear the mark of the so-called Lord Voldemort, Tom Mavolo Riddle, leave this chamber alive. Today, We shall have their heads to be displayed on the Traitor's Gate in Our Tower of London.

"But first, We must make known our disapproval and revoke the actions of yesterday's session. The Chief Warlock was and is appointed by Us, and only by Us shall he be removed. Those who go against Us shall learn the folly of doing so."

Minister Fudge trembled feeling as if his body was freezing at the Queen's words.

"Albus Dumbledore remains Chief Warlock of this body. We shall not hear otherwise. As for the proposer of this bit of defiance of Our Rule, who should have known better, the position of Minister of Magic has been declared vacant. Our heir, the Prince of Wales, shall act in this role until we can trust the Wizengamot to elect a successor. The head of the Department for Magical Law Enforcement shall conduct an investigation into the conduct of the former minister. Until the conclusion of that investigation, the minister shall be held in confinement in Our Tower of London from the conclusion of this day's business under the charge of treason. He shall remain under guard of our Yeoman Warders from this moment on."

Suddenly there were two guards, dressed in resplendent red and gold uniforms standing at the side of the former Minister. Fudge felt the weight of the chain of his office disappear, and looked down to discover that his Wizengamot robes had been transfigured into an orange jumpsuit.

"In this chamber, We are aware of seven members who have betrayed their oaths to Us. We suspect there are more. We shall not suffer a traitor to live. By the time We leave this chamber, those seven, and any other person who bears the mark of Riddle shall fall to the blade of Our Executioner.

"The Wizengamot maintains a Executioner, but We shall not ask him to take his own head. We have asked the Custodian of the two Holy Masques, and King of Saudi Arabia, King Fahd to provide one. Sultan bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, stand at the ready."

A block rose from the floor of the chamber as a stout man in black robes entered the room, carrying a large axe.

"We shall begin with the Wizengamot's former executioner, Walden Macnair ...

Fudge sat through the questioning, trial, and execution of twenty-one Death Eaters that day. Nine of them were found as members, and another twelve had the bad luck to chose to observe the Wizengamot that day. They were called forward, their marks revealed, and found it not possible to lie or even to be silent before the Queen. In the chamber, the Queen reigned supreme.

Each stroke of the axe taking off the head of the traitors caused Fudge to jump, imagining his own neck stretched out over the chopping block. Somehow he managed not to cry out, not to protest, as Lucius Malfoy, Avery Runnymeade, Amycus Carrow, Gregory Goyle, Thorfinn Rowle, Mulciber Hawthorn ... the names started to run together, along with their blood on the chamber floor.

Once the last head had rolled, Yeomen Warders filed in and placed each head on a pike, and then marched out of the chamber, through the newly opened exit to Diagon Alley, heads held high. It would be impossible to deny the Queen's actions, and none dared speak against her.

"We expect not to need to return to this chamber soon," the Queen said.

Then by some unseen signal, the guard who had announced her, announced. "All rise!" Everyone stood, save the headless corpses laying in the well of the chamber. The Queen headed to the Antechamber, and Fudge found himself joining the macabre procession through the alley, knowing that his own head might soon find its way onto one of those pikes.

As the door of the chambers slammed shut behind him, Fudge wondered how it had all gone wrong.


End file.
